A Review of Major Patents on Potential Malaria Vaccine Targets
Reysla Maria da Silveira Mariano,
Ana Alice Maia Gonçalves,
Diana Souza de Oliveira,
Helen Silva Ribeiro,
Diogo Fonseca Soares Pereira,
Ingrid Soares Santos,
Daniel Ferreira Lair,
Augusto Ventura da Silva,
Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino,
Miguel Angel Chávez-Fumagalli,
Denise da Silveira-Lemos,
Walderez Ornelas Dutra,
Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
Affiliations
Reysla Maria da Silveira Mariano
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Ana Alice Maia Gonçalves
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Diana Souza de Oliveira
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Helen Silva Ribeiro
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Diogo Fonseca Soares Pereira
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Ingrid Soares Santos
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Daniel Ferreira Lair
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Augusto Ventura da Silva
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino
Laboratory of Biotechnology of Microorganisms, Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Divinópolis CEP 35501-296, MG, Brazil
Miguel Angel Chávez-Fumagalli
Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group, Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Urb. San José S/N, Arequipa 04000, Peru
Denise da Silveira-Lemos
Campus Jaraguá, University José of Rosário Vellano, UNIFENAS, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Walderez Ornelas Dutra
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Malaria is a parasitic infection that is a great public health concern and is responsible for high mortality rates worldwide. Different strategies have been employed to improve disease control, demonstrating the ineffectiveness of controlling vectors, and parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs requires the development of an effective preventive vaccine. There are countless challenges to the development of such a vaccine directly related to the parasite’s complex life cycle. After more than four decades of basic research and clinical trials, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the pre-erythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum (RTS, S) malaria vaccine for widespread use among children living in malaria-endemic areas. However, there is a consensus that major improvements are needed to develop a vaccine with a greater epidemiological impact in endemic areas. This review discusses novel strategies for malaria vaccine design taking the target stages within the parasite cycle into account. The design of the multi-component vaccine shows considerable potential, especially as it involves transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) that eliminate the parasite’s replication towards sporozoite stage parasites during a blood meal of female anopheline mosquitoes. Significant improvements have been made but additional efforts to achieve an efficient vaccine are required to improve control measures. Different strategies have been employed, thus demonstrating the ineffectiveness in controlling vectors, and parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs requires the development of a preventive vaccine. Despite having a vaccine in an advanced stage of development, such as the RTS, S malaria vaccine, the search for an effective vaccine against malaria is far from over. This review discusses novel strategies for malaria vaccine design taking into account the target stages within the parasite’s life cycle.
